When Is the Best Time to See Peak Fall Foliage?

“What would have been a mosaic of lots of different colors, within the same period, is going to be now this extended thing where we see a few species change here and there, and then maybe a couple weeks later, another set of species,” he says.

Don’t be fooled by leaves that appear to “turn” ahead of peak season—it could be leaf scorch, which is common during periods of drought. 

“Depending on how bad of a drought you’re in and how stressed the trees are. You see the leaves crinkle and die before they can even change,” says Stephanie Spera, an associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability at the University of Richmond.

All these factors mean it’s just going to become increasingly difficult to predict when peak foliage might be. “There are changes afoot, and I think knowing when [peak foliage] is going to be each year is actually a harder thing to predict,” says Martine. 

When is the best weekend to view fall foliage? For the most part, that’s anyone’s guess, according to Spera.